Refrigerator



(No Model.)

E.`.1. KNEELAND.

REFRIGEBATOR.

(Application flied June 17, 1897.)

`Patented Sept. 20,1898.

Nrrnn V'STATES PATENT FFICE.

REFRieERAToR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 611,013, dated September 20, 1898.

Application filed June 17, 1897. Serial No. 641,137. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern.-

Beit known that I, EDWIN J. KNEELAND, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lansing, in the county of Ingham and State of Michigamhave invented certain new and useful Improvements in Refrigerators, of which the following is a specificatiomreference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The invention consists in the construction of a refrigerator, and particularly in the construction of an ice-chamber therein having air-circulating passages leading therefrom to the provision-chamber and a out-o for those circulating-passages controlled by the door of the provision-chamber.

The invention further consists in operating this cut-off automatically, and, further, in accomplishing it by means of the weight of the ice in the boX, and, further, in the construction, arrangement, and combination of the various parts, all as more fully hereinafter described.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical central section through a refrigerator embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a similar section showing the parts in different position. Fig. 3 is a sectional perspective view illustrating the connecting mechanism between the icereceptacle and the door of the provisionchamber.

A is the box proper forming an ordinary refrigerator having the provision-chamber B and the ice-receptacle C, with doors D for the provision-chamber and E for the ice-chamber. The ice-chamber has one wall (preferably the rear wall a) higher than the other Wall or front wall h and air-circulatin g passages c and d beside the front and rear walls of the icechamber. The ice-receptacle in this case is pivoted on the pivot-pins F at the sides eccentrically, so that when the ice is put in its weight will tend to rock it forward. When rocked forward, the rear passage c will be closed, as shown in Fig. 2, by the rear edge of the ice-receptacle contacting a plate G, and the front passage cl will be closed by the front wall b contacting the front of the box or casing, and thus effectually preventing the air circulation either to or from the provisionchamber. To the ice=-receptacle is attached an arm H, projecting forwardly into the path of the door D of the provision-chamber, all so arranged that as the door is closed it will strike this arm and swing the ice-receptacle into the position shown in Fig. l, opening the air-circulating passages, so that the air may circulate upward from the provision-chamber. As soon as the provision-door is opened the weight of the ice in the ice-receptacle is free to swing theicefreceptacle on its pivot, which it will do, putting it in the position shown in Fig. 2 and closing the air-circulating passages until the door is again closed. In this manner I am enabled to prevent the cold air in the ice-chamber from escaping to the outside whenever the provision-door is open, -as is ordinarily the case, and thus great economy is obtained over the ordinary construction, which permits the hot air from the provisionchamber to rise and displace the cold air about the ice whenever the provision-door is open.

In order to arrange for the drip where I use a tilting ice-receptacle, I employ the drippipe I, having the enlarged top J, in which the nipple K of the ice-receptacle engages, so that at any point in the movement of the icereceptacle the nipple is in engagement with the drip-pipe, as Figs. l and 2 plainly show.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. In a refrigerator, the combination with a provision-chamber and door for the same,

Yof a movable ice-receptacle adapted to automatically cut off air circulation between the same and the provision-chamber, and means actuated by the door for moving the ice-receptacle to establish air circulation between the latter and the provision-chamber.

2. In a refrigerator, the combination with a provision-chamber and a door therefor, of a movable ice-receptacle, and means controlled by said door for permitting the movement of the ice-receptacle to cut off and establish air circulation between the provision-chamber and the ice-receptacle.

3. In a refrigerator, the combination with a provision-chamber and a door therefor, of a pivoted ice-receptacle, and means controlled by said door for permitting the tiltingk of said ice-receptacle to cut off and establish air circulation between the provision-chamber and the ice-receptacle.

4:; In a refrigerator, the combination of the casing, the tilting ice-receptacle therein hav- IOO ing air-circulating passages beside the same, a tilting movement ofthe ice-receptacle opening and closing these passages of the provision-chamber door, and mechanism, whereby the movement of the door controls the ti1ting of the ioe-reeeptae1e, for the purpose described.

5. In a refrigerator, the combination of the casing, of the ice-receptacle pivoted eccenmally tip it, of air-passages beside the ice-receptacle, an arm on the ice-receptacle extending into the path of the provision-chamber door, whereby the door controls the tilting movement of the receptacle to open and close the air-circulating passages.

In testimony whereof I afx my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

, EDWIN J. KNEELAND. Vtnesses:

FRANK E. TALMADGE, CLARK C. WOOD. 

